Topic: Salvaging old plants?

[Ham]

Hello All,

Another new starter!  I just got my allotment last week & on it already are some raspberry's, redcurrants and gooseberries.  They all look pretty knackered/half dead.  Does anyone know can they be saved.  The plot is quite overgrown, but these guys have managed to hang on - seems a shame to bin them!

Ham   ???

[Mrs Ava]

Hiya Ham, When we took over our plot, after wripping back the weeds we discovered a couple of gooseberry bushes.  They were a bit straggly, but there is no way I could just dig them up and bin them. I have given them the benefit of the doubt, pruned them a bit, tidied them up, given them a good mulch of compost, plenty to drink, and will see what next year brings.  If nothing happens, then they will probably join that great gooseberry patch in the sky - well actually my compost heap!  I think that if you have the room to keep them, what have you got to loose, hang on to them, provide them with some tlc and who knows, you could be enjoying fruits for free next summer!   ;D

[merv]

Hiya  :)

Umm, raspberries.  IMHO, it is better to have these chaps planned.  The ground they are in should be absolutely weed free as they are shallow rooting and when they send out suckers it's difficult to weed.  You can usually get canes from fellow lotties so's there's no need to buy unless you want earlies and lates which have a slightly different puning scheme.

Goosgogs and reds are fine, just prune them back, how to prune can be found in any gardening book.

I always say...give a year and then see.  ;)

[Ham]

Thanks all, there's also some old stragly apple, pear & plum trees, so I'll try & nurse them all back to health! 8)

[teresa]

Hi Ham
You plot sounds good all I got besides weeds was horseradish. :-/
I did read somewhere rasberries were big feeders so loads of muck and will keep moisture in the soil. ;)
Apple tree either muck or rose fert apply in Feb and again in June when the fruit is setting. Do check it out. ::)
Must have been a lovely lottie in its former life. 8)
So loads of muck tlc and bangages.
Teresa

[Hot_Potato]

Welcome Ham from me too - I'm new......had my lottie just 3 days and today did my first bit of work up there.....mines only half plot 90 x 15.....it's divided up in the middle by an assortment of  fruit trees & bushes which are very choked and some look pretty dead, some collapsed totally....not the pear...I took last 3 huge fruits off today and hope they'll ripen....no idea what variety....no idea yet how to tackle this area :-/...I want to keep the goozies & currants but a huge old mallow is dead and fallen over....the grass is very high in this part of lottie.....the rest of plot has been covered by old carpet and today I've made a start....have posted about this on another thread....good luck with your plot....isn't it great to be able to exchange our experiences and shout for help when we need it? H.P. ( is this a bit too saucy ;)